Stan Lazar, co-managing partner of Shepard Schwartz & Harris, has died, only days after his Chicago-based firm merged into Citrin Cooperman.
Last week, Citrin Cooperman, a Top 25 Firm based in New York, announced it had expanded into the Windy City by adding SSH, the latest in a string of M&A deals since Citrin received private equity funding from New Mountain Capital last year (
“We lost one of our partners and friends,” Fuller wrote in an internal firm memo. “Words cannot express how much we will miss the energy he brought to our office and the memories. I will miss his coming into my office to chat about whatever was on his mind. I will miss the ‘crazy ideas’ he sprang on me all the time. Our prayers are with Stan’s family and friends.”
She and Lazar were expected to become co-managing partners of the newly established Citrin Cooperman office in SSH’s existing downtown Chicago location.
Citrin Cooperman executive chairman Joel Cooperman remembered his time with Lazar. “I cannot put into words the emptiness and devastation I feel,” he said in a statement. “My favorite memories of Stan included his complaining about not knowing how to use his computer, as well as sitting with him on his balcony in Florida in his sleeveless green t-shirt smiling and joking about anything you could imagine. We lost a great partner and we all lost a great friend.”
Koltin Consulting Group CEO Allan Koltin, who negotiated the merger, reminisced about his friend. “Stan was a great leader and loved by his family, friends, firm members, clients and the community,” said Koltin. “His smile and contagious enthusiasm rubbed off on everyone he met. He was so smart and creative but known more for his big heart and his ability to brighten the world of everyone he met. His inspiration and zest for living life to the fullest will be what I will remember most about him. May his memory be for a blessing.”
Lazar died on July 21. A funeral is planned for Thursday, July 28, at Old St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Chicago.
